Eunhwan Kim, Team Manager of the Product Planning Team

DORCO MAKEOVER’s second visit goes to the Product Planning Team. The Product Planning Team defines product objectives, and requests the development of a new product once the development and investment are green-lighted.

Q: What does the Product Planning Team do, and what is your role?

The Product Planning Team is responsible for planning new products, reviewing and managing product development and developing a medium- and long-term roadmap. As the team lead, I oversee the day-to-day operations of the team.

Q: When do you know it was the right choice to do what you do at DORCO?

New products are the results of long planning and development, and it is rewarding when they are well-received by buyers, eventually make it into the market and drive sales at retail stores. Let me walk you through my career story. Prior to DORCO, I worked as a marketing researcher. When I first joined DORCO, I was responsible for consumer research and product test planning at the research center. Since 2017, I have been working with product planning at the International Business Division. I find product planning very attractive, as it does not just derive research results and insight from data analysis but also plan and develop products for the market through comprehensive analysis and reviews such as consumer research. My previous experiences are very relevant and conducive to what we do at Product Planning. I have made a big step forward—from both personal and career perspectives.

BEFORE vs. AFTER

Q: While working with DORCO for the past 12 years, you have become a mother of two. Have you ever experienced difficulties in combining parenthood and a career?

I had my first child after joining DORCO. Both of my children are now elementary school age. Maintaining a career was not a challenge, as I was able to take up to one year of parental leave for each child. When I first joined DORCO, there were only a few married women, not to mention working moms. Today, we have many female coworkers who continue to advance their careers after marriage and childbirth.

Q: Previously, we interviewed the Product Development Team. What sets Product Development apart from Product Planning?

Product Planning and Product Development are the closest partners. The Product Planning Team defines product objectives, development concepts, target costs and key specifications according to market needs and market analysis and requests the development of a new product once the development and investment are green-lighted. Then, the Product Development Team conducts technical reviews and proceeds with product design and development. Close collaboration and coordination with the Product Development Team is essential for the Product Planning team to manage the overall product development process. Simply put, the Product Planning Team is responsible for new product planning and management, and the Product Development Team is where engineers are at work to develop new products.

Q: What do you think matters most when planning a product?

New product releases by rivals, the needs of the market and buyers and proposals from the research center go into the new product development process. The key questions are whether a product would be compelling in the market, from the perspective of buyers and consumers, and what DORCO can offer versus the competition. Of course, the ever-evolving market and fierce competition make it difficult to find the answers.

Q: Which DORCO product is your favorite? Have you been part of planning the women’s product line?

The men’s category still has a higher sales mix at the global level. That said, we have been planning a series of products targeting women. Although it is too early to pick my favorite, our team has been working on two new products since last year. I cannot go into details, as the products are set to be rolled out next year. I am looking forward to the successful releases, considering the level of interest and positive responses from buyers.

“The key questions are whether a product would be compelling in the market, from the perspective of buyers and consumers.”

Q: What is the key trend that you are looking out for? Which direction is DORCO heading for, when planning new products?

Sustainability is one of the buzzwords. Notably, DORCO has been active in the European market. When it comes to sustainability, Germany and France are more demanding than North America. DORCO has been marketing a hybrid razor with a bamboo handle and disposable razors made of PCR plastics. Further expanding the lineup of sustainable products is one of the key tasks that the Product Planning Team should carry out. Moreover, as consumers have more diverse and specific needs depending on the shaving area, there are growing interest and products in body grooming among male users and derma planning among female users. To meet such changes in the market, DORCO is working hard to develop technologies and products.